President's Report - November 2012

♦CNM Thanks You for Your Support of Bond C: Thanks to the passage of Higher Education Bond C, which 63.4 percent of voters favored, CNM will receive $10.5 million to improve learning environments for students, position CNM to further reduce its energy costs and provide much-needed renovations to aging facilities at Main Campus and the South Valley Campus. A significant portion of the funding will be used to provide long overdue upgrades to the science lab building on Main Campus, which includes labs for biology, chemistry and physics. The modernization of these labs is critical for CNM to better prepare students for the high-demand fields in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. The outdated science lab building will also receive mechanical upgrades to make the building much more energy efficient. The renovation will strive to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. The South Valley Campus will receive improvements to its oldest building, the former Pajarito Elementary building that houses CNM classrooms. The renovation will include more energy efficient windows, technology infrastructure upgrades, classroom technology upgrades and restroom renovations. Bond C will also provide funding for public colleges and universities across the state that are also in great need of facility upgrades. Thanks for your support of higher education in New Mexico!

♦CNM Names New Dean for School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety: Dr. Tamra Mason, formerly an associate dean in CNM's School of Math, Science & Engineering, will return to CNM as dean for the School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety, effective Jan. 2. For the past year, Dr. Mason worked at the University of New Mexico, where she focused her efforts on redesigning freshmen courses to improve student learning and success. Her experience at CNM began in 2000 as a full-time math instructor and she served four years as chair of the Math Department. From 2007-2011, she served as associate dean in MSE, overseeing the disciplines of Anatomy and Physiology, Astronomy, Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Engineering, Mathematics, Nutrition and Physics. She also managed the science laboratories.

"The (HWPS Dean Search Committee) had a difficult decision to make, but I'm so happy that Tamra has accepted the position, and I'm looking forward to seeing her apply her skills and knowledge to HWPS, which serves a highly important role for our students and for our community," said Vice President for Academic Affairs Sydney Gunthorpe. "Tamra brings a focus on student success, faculty and staff engagement, and quality processes."

♦Volunteers Needed for Tax Help New Mexico: The Tax Help New Mexico program is once again seeking volunteers to help prepare taxes during the upcoming tax season, from February through mid-April, 2013. After completing the training, volunteers are able to help community members file their tax returns and identify important tax credits that can provide them with larger tax returns and a better financial outlook. One tax credit that volunteers are trained to identify is the Earned Income Tax Credit. Ann Lyn Hall, director of CNM Connect who oversees Tax Help, calls the EITC "one of the largest anti-poverty measures ever created." She said that many community members can benefit greatly from these kinds of tax credits. Volunteers are required to pass an IRS certification. Trainings are held in January. For info, email GAlires@cnm.edu or call (505) 224-4929. –more on back–

♦Oscar-Winning Filmmaker Presents 'Images of Indians: From Reel to Real': Dr. Victoria Mudd, who won an Academy Award for Best Documentary for her work as director on the Native American film "Broken Rainbow" in 1985, will present her video, "Images of Indians: From Reel to Real," from 6-7:45 p.m. on Nov. 13 at Main Campus, Smith Brasher Hall Auditorium, Room 100. "Images of Indians: From Reel to Real" documents how Native Americans have been portrayed in film, from the earliest depictions to the present. Clips from movies such as Dances With Wolves, Stagecoach, Little Big Man and Smoke Signals are included. During the playing of the video, Dr. Mudd will provide historical and social context on how the portrayal of Native Americans on film has been changing as more Native American filmmakers get their experiences and stories to the screen. Her presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session. Her Oscar-winning Broken Rainbow explored a Hopi-Navajo land dispute. For more information, call (505) 224-4351.

♦New Mexico Poets Headline Poetry and Spoken Word Event: Levi Romero and David Martinez will perform their poetry at the "CNM Speaks: Poetry and Spoken Word" event that will be held Nov. 15 at 3 p.m. at the Main Campus Library in the Student Resource Center. CNM employees, students and the public are invited to share their poetry during an open mic session. The New Mexico State Library and the Department of Cultural Affairs named Romero as one of five Centennial Poets during the state's centennial celebrations. Romero also teaches Chicano Studies at the University of New Mexico. Martinez has been featured at "Speak, Poet" events in Albuquerque and "Poetry at the Library" in Española. For more information, email carellano10@cnm.edu.

♦STEM-UP Transfer Center Celebrates Opening on Main Campus: CNM's new STEM-UP Transfer Center will celebrate its opening on Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. just outside the L Building, near the Student Resource Center lawn on Main Campus. STEM-UP (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math Undergraduate Pathways) is a U.S. Department of Education grant-funded effort. CNM and the UNM received a joint-grant to address the significant need in New Mexico for more graduates in the STEM fields. Stop by the event and learn more about the resources offered at the center, including individualized tutoring, STEM advising, mentoring from fellow STEM students, assistance with transfer to UNM, and information on STEM degrees at CNM and UNM. For more info, call Lisa Paton at (505) 224-3253 or email lpaton@cnm.edu.

♦Donations Continue: CNM is grateful for recent donations to the CNM Foundation from these donors: